The Third Bardo recorded just one single, "I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time," which appeared on Roulette in 1967. That one single, however, is lauded by many collectors as one of the greatest 1960s garage/psychedelic tracks. With its mysterious lead guitar lines that recalled the theme to the Twilight Zone, Eastern-like minor melody, creepy organ, and one of the most definitive sub-Jagger garage snarl lead vocals ever, it was worthy of more exposure than it got. However, although it got some airplay on the East Coast, it was pulled off the radio, lead singer Jeff Monn has recalled, because of perceived drug associations, although in fact there are no overt drug references in the lyrics.
The Third Bardo's material, oddly, was produced by Teddy Randazzo, who had been a singer in the 1950s, and then later producer for Little Anthony & the Imperials. His session with the Third Bardo was far weirder than could have possibly been expected given his resume, the group laying down ominous psychedelia with Eastern-influenced melodies and odd sound effects. Six tracks were recorded at the Third Bardo's one and only session, much of the material co-written by Rusty Evans, who had helped craft similarly strange stuff for the Deep. Aside from "I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time," however, just one song, its B-side "Rainbow Life," was released. The other four cuts (including an alternate version of "Rainbow Life") would surface much later on Sundazed's 2000 10", six-song EP The Third Bardo.
After the Third Bardo broke up in 1967, Monn went solo and did an album for Vanguard in the late '60s, changing his name to Chris Moon for another solo album that came out on CBS/Kinetic in 1970. Jeff Beck considered hiring Monn as his singer in 1971, but the pair didn't hit it off and nothing came of it. "I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time" became a cult favorite among '60s collectors after its inclusion in the Pebbles reissue series, and was selected for the expanded Nuggets '60s garage box set in the late '90s. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
Written by Richie Unterberger
EPs:
1(A) LOSE YOUR MIND (7") (Sundazed SEP 106) 1993
2(A) THE THIRD BARDO (10") (Sundazed SEP 10-160) 2000
NB: (1) contains Five Years Ahead Of My Time, Lose Your Mind, I Can't Understand Your Problem and Dawn Of Tomorrow. The latter three are previously unreleased. The EP was released on yellow vinyl. (2) gathers all their 1967 recordings - essentially adding two versions of My Rainbow Life (one previously unheard) to the 7" EP tracks.
45:
1(A) I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time/My Rainbow Life (Roulette 4742) 1967
A New York outfit. Their name, chosen by lead singer Jeffrey Monn and extracted from the 'The Tibetan Book of the Dead', refers to a "return to reality". The inclusion of I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time on Pebbles, Vol. 3 (LP) has made it something of a classic among collectors of psychedelic punk. Deservedly so in view of its haunting intro and fine fuzztone guitar work. Subsequently it has resurfaced on other compilations:- Born Bad (The Songs The Cramps Taught Us), Songs We Taught The Cramps, Nuggets Box (4-CD), Pebbles Vol. 3 (CD), Trash Box (5-CD) and Best of Pebbles, Vol. 1 (LP & CD). Rusty Evans of The Deep/Freak Scene wrote the 45 for The Third Bardo along with songwriter Victoria Pike, who was married to The Third Bardo's producer Teddy Randazzo (of Roulette Records) at the time. The excellent flip side of the 45 can also be heard on Vile Vinyl, Vol. 2 (LP) and Magic Carpet Ride (LP) whilst another version of it appears on Freak Scene's Psychedelic Psoul LP. If that wasn't enough, David Walters (author of the excellent "Children of Nuggets" book) has pointed out that the version of My Rainbow Life on Glimpses, Vol. 4 (LP) is an acetate version, 20 seconds shorter than the final single and with a different mix! Both sides of the 45 can also be now heard on Psychedelic Microdots Of The Sixties, Vol. 3 (CD).
In the early seventies, their lead singer Neufeld released an album under another pseudonym, Chris Moon. In the 1980s The Nomads did a fine cover version of I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time and Kenne Highland's Majestic Gizmos reworked it into He's Five Beers Ahead Of Your Time (!) on the LP of that name.
In 1999, Rusty Evans has helped re-record I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time, My Rainbow Life and a number of other tracks with his son's band Kaos. Although currently unreleased, the new recordings are great, capturing the spirit of the originals. Rusty may also be writing some new material for The Third Bardo themselves, who played live again on May 16th 1999 with a line-up of Jeff Moon aka Neufeld, Damian Kelly and Ricky GoldClang from the original band. As for former drummer Bruce Ginsburg, his whereabouts are unknown - somewhere in California, whilst Richie Seslowe sadly died of a drug overdose in the eighties.
Luke Lukas is back with an album full of that gleeful gloom that made us love him at first sight. His trustworthy 4-tracks and him go their separate ways so he's now presenting 12 perfectly arranged folk songs to us. Luke reveals himself as a kind soul, but like the western movies taught us, a dreadful killer always hides under every placid looking Texan.
"Leaving his strongly lo-fi sound that impressed us the first time, he treasures the recipe, packing in this new plain, delightful work a caring love for vocals, which are worthy of Neutral Milk hotel, with a touch of Chordettes feel."Daniele Dileo - Lab Magazine
DAVID VIRGIN Is Interviewed by Warhol Superstar Joe Dallesandro for Hollywood's Punk Globe Magazine June issue with David Virgin on Cover, out now!,,, Click link to read ,, http://lnk.ms/08lRg
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